


Please Like Me

by NamelesslyNightlock



Series: Going Down Swinging [16]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Amused Loki (Marvel), Didn't Know They Were Dating, Established Relationship, Fluff, Getting Together, Kissing, M/M, Oblivious Tony Stark, Pining, Romantic Fluff, Tony Stark Is Bad At Relationships, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark is an idiot, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 05:02:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19986553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelesslyNightlock/pseuds/NamelesslyNightlock
Summary: When Loki finds Tony lying face down on the couch, he’s afraid there’s something wrong.





	Please Like Me

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt** — _“There’s nothing I can do anymore.”_

When Loki walked into the penthouse one morning, it was to find Anthony lying face-down on his couch with his hands splayed out at his sides.

“Anthony?” Loki asked in confusion, approaching with slow, wary steps. “Are you… well?”

Anthony let out a groan, turning his head just slightly and glancing at Loki out of the corner of his eye. “Loki,” he said, and then he buried his face into the pillows once more, his shoulders somehow seeming even more slumped than they were before he had noticed Loki’s presence.

Well then, it would seem that the answer to Loki’s question was a resounding _no_.

Loki paused in the middle of the room, for a moment feeling a little unsure of how to proceed. He felt more comfortable around Anthony than he did anyone else, of course he did– even though he was a mortal, right from the beginning Anthony made Loki feel safe, and he never let Loki feel like he was being mocked. Despite Anthony’s own slight initial misgivings, he never gave Loki the impression that he was unwanted or unwelcome. But then, perhaps that was the answer– Anthony remained at ease in Loki’s presence, and he had always been receptive to simple affection. If he offered comfort now, it wouldn’t be rejected.

That was more than enough to calm Loki’s uncertainty, and when he moved closer, the rest of his hesitation melted away.

“Anthony,” Loki said again, his legs folding under him as he knelt down onto the carpet near Anthony’s head. “I can see that there is something wrong, but I cannot help unless you tell me what it is.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand and ran his fingers gently through Anthony’s hair, and he could not help the fond smile that curled at his lips as Anthony unconsciously leaned into the touch.

“Talk to me,” Loki whispered. “Let me help.”

Anthony’s voice was muffled by the couch, but Loki still managed to make out his words. “There’s nothing I can do anymore, is there?”

Loki frowned, though he did not let his hand still, as it was clear that Anthony was taking some comfort from the movement.

“What do you mean?” Loki asked. “You are more capable than anyone else I know.”

Anthony’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “There’s nothing I else I can do to make you like me.”

 _That_ made Loki’s hand freeze, his whole body turning to a solid block of ice as he gaped. “But I…”

“I know,” Anthony muttered, and then he turned his head once again with a self-depreciating huff, so it was his cheek that was pressed into the cushion instead. “I’m sorry for just out and _saying_ it, but I’ve been trying for _months_ to get you to notice me, and then you go and say things like _that_ and, I just…”

Anthony groaned again, closing his eyes tightly shut for half a second, as if he were trying to push something out of his mind.

“There’s just nothing left that I haven’t already tried,” he muttered, opening them again to stare at Loki sadly. “And I don’t know what else I can do.”

And that just… well, it didn’t make any _sense_.

“But, we have been courting for months,” Loki said, his eyes wide, his words a whisper.

Anthony’s whole body jerked with his exclamation of– “ _What?”_

The surprised sound sent a jolt through Loki’s chest, and he let his hand fall away from Anthony’s hair and land on the armrest of the couch instead, as much to steady himself as for any other reason.

“We have been spending all our time together,” Loki said, completely confused. “You have taken me out for meals, and we share affectionate touches…”

“No, _no_ , that was me trying to get you to realise that I _like_ you,” Anthony said, propping himself up on one elbow. “It wasn’t— We _weren’t—"_

“Thor informed me that such outings are known as dates on Midgard,” Loki said. “And when I asked, to be sure, JARVIS confirmed as much—”

“JARVIS?” Anthony asked incredulously. “Did you know about this?”

“I have told you multiple times that Mr Liesmith adores you, Sir,” JARVIS said shortly, and Loki felt a surge of affection for the AI. “It is your own fault that you refused to believe me.”

“But we haven’t even kissed,” Anthony said, his words almost slipping into a petulant whine as confusion and surprise warred with something else in his expression– something that Loki thought might just be joy.

It was that spark of happiness which gave him to courage to admit, “I thought you wanted to move slowly, that you were unsure of being with me still. That you wished to test how it felt to be together, before we moved toward something more.” Loki offered a soft smile. “I’ve always been willing to wait as long as you need, but… if you did not know…” He let the end of his sentence trail off into a question.

Anthony was staring at Loki softly, with a kind of amazement that Loki felt as warmth blooming in his chest.

“Loki,” Anthony whispered breathlessly, leaning forward over the space between them and threading a hand through Loki’s hair. “I could never be unsure about being with you.”

Then Anthony’s lips were on his as he drew Loki into a kiss, and Loki’s eyes fell closed as he immediately kissed Anthony back with a soft noise of delight.

It was something that Loki had wanted for so long, something that he had been looking forward to with a kind of intense excitement that had only grown the more time he and Anthony spent together. It sent shivers of pleasure down his spine and left him wanting more, and his arms looped over Anthony’s shoulders as he deepened the kiss.

Perhaps, in his eagerness, Loki pulled Anthony a little too close, or perhaps Anthony leaned a little too far. Perhaps it was both– but all Loki knew was that one moment he was lost in the bliss of Anthony’s lips upon his own, and then in the next the kiss was broken, and Anthony yelped as he lost his balance—

And then they both went tumbling to the ground. Loki probably would have been able to stay upright had Anthony not fallen right on top of him, and they ended up with Loki’s back on the floor and Anthony half lying over his chest, their faces so very close.

But rather than getting up, or moving back to a more comfortable place, Anthony merely stared at Loki as if he were the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen.

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice,” Anthony said, leaning down slightly so that their noses briefly brushed. “I’ll have to make it up to you.”

Loki’s grin was as fierce as the surge of intense happiness that flowed through him, and then he tilted up his chin to draw Anthony into another kiss, so completely overjoyed by the fact that he now knew that he could.

Loki had thought all this time that Anthony had merely wanted to take it slow, because he was uncertain still of being together. But Anthony had not even known, and now that he did– Loki was rather looking forward to what would happen next.


End file.
